Our People

Purnima Bhat, Founder

I am a Senior at the University of Alabama Birmingham majoring in Neuroscience, with a UAB Blazer full Scholarship. I aspire to become a physician-scientist. In my free time, I try to rescue sick cats from around my neighborhood, nurture them to health and find foster homes. I also give violin, piano and Carnatic Indian classical music concerts in assisted living facilities and hospices for residents. I teach math, science and reading to foster home kids through A Door of Hope, a great organization. During summers and holidays, I work in research laboratories at Emory University and the University of Alabama Birmingham studying brain and muscle function. I also paint, traditional and digital, and compose music for violin. My goal is to organize this t-med project with the help of my friends and eventually be part of it as a provider.

Nandini Ray, Co-Founder

I am a medical student at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine. I grew up in Amarillo, TX, and I graduated with a BS in microbiology and a master’s degree in business administration from Texas Tech prior to matriculation into medical school. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, baking, and spending time with my family and friends. Purnima and I got to know each other through my research supervisor at TTUHSC, and when she floated the idea, I loved it, and I am excited to be involved. As I am from a rural area in West Texas, I see this as a project with a lot of potential which I can participate in throughout my years in medical school and beyond.

Vivek Reddy, Member

I am currently doing my residency in pediatrics at Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, New York. I grew up in Houston, Tx, and did my BS in Biomedical Engineering from Tulane University. I worked for two years in a software company as a software developer in Madison, Wisconsin, and then did my MD at the American University. In my free time, I like to watch sports, hang out with friends, and take my dog for walks. When Purnima asked me to be part of her project to bring healthcare to inner cities and rural communities, I thought this is a great opportunity for me to do something where it matters. I know Purnima since she was three years old and I still remember sleeping in their home early morning on the sofa waiting for a ride to UTMB with her dad and Purnima waking up early and jumping on me on the sofa!

Dheeraj Reddy, Member

I am starting medical school this year and I graduated from Washington University in St. Louis. While at Wash U, I was an executive member of the GlobeMed, a student-run project that organized grass-roots health and nutrition in rural Uganda. I also worked at SteadyMD, a telemedicine primary care startup. With my exposure to these activities, I am excited to be part of Purnima’s project. I have known Purnima since she was four, and we can together make healthcare more accessible to rural and inner-city communities with this approach. During my medical school years and after graduating, I hope to contribute to improving healthcare for marginalized and under-served communities.

Karthink Nathan, Member

I am currently doing my residency in orthopedic surgery at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. I grew up in Atlanta, GA, and did my B.S in Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech. I then moved out to California and did my MD at Stanford. I was the president of my graduating class at Stanford. In my free time, I enjoy watching sports, hanging out with my friends, and finding the best slice of pizza in New York. I know Purnima since her birth in Atlanta and I have spent time with her when she was little. It is a pleasure to be part of this project and I see much potential in this program.

Alexander Rodriguez, Member

I am currently a medical student at Florida International University medical school in Miami. I went to University of South Florida, Tampa for my udnergraduate degree, then completed my masters in Molecular and Biomedical Sciences at Florida International University. In my spare time, I enjoy working out, reading, going to the beach and spending time with friends and family. Purnima and I got to know each other in Tampa while I was working in a reseacrh laboroatory. This idea of connecting social determinants of health to the healthcare field is something I spent time with in my masters program. I loved this idea and am super excited to be involved in Purnima;s organization.